Somewhere I Belong
by Sabulana
Summary: AU. "Whatever plans you had for your life, forget them because now you're here to stay." Eventual Zemyx, other pairings.
1. Welcome to Traverse Town

Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish they were...but no. Sadly not.

Warnings: shounen ai. Eventually.

**Somewhere I Belong**

**Chapter 1**

**Welcome to Traverse Town**

_'Another beautiful, perfect morning on __Destiny __Islands_,' Demyx thought, yawning. He hauled his suitcase out of the front door and loaded it into the back of his beat-up, yet beloved old car. But no matter how perfect it was, it was still far too early to be up and about. Demyx went back to the house for his sitar and put that on the back seat carefully. He yawned again and frowned. It was especially too early to be leaving on a long journey, all on his own.

Shaking his head, Demyx dispelled that thought. He had promised himself that he would not dwell on what could not be helped. But still, there was a tiny part of him that he could not deny was upset.

After all, music was his passion (as well as the ocean). Was it too much to ask that his friends at least try to pretend they cared? Demyx had been raving about his audition for almost a year now and had been preparing himself for it almost since he first heard of Radiant Garden University's prestigious music course. Now his chance to actually take part was here and not one person could join him.

Still, they did have their reasons. His parents were busy with work. His father had a very important business meeting (apparently, it could decide the fate of the entire family but Demyx was sure that was an exaggeration) and his mother simply could not get the time off work though she assured her son that she had tried everything.

As for his friends... Well, Selphie was on holiday with her parents. Nothing he could do about that. Tidus and Wakka were in a Blitzball tournament, and according to Tidus, there was going to be a scout from the Zanarkand Abes team there. If he and Wakka were lucky, they could become professional players and Demyx could not possibly ask them to throw that away. Riku, Sora, Roxas and Hayner were entered into a Struggle tournament taking place the same day as Demyx's audition. The four of them had a pact that one of them had to win because there was no way they could let Seifer take the prize this year. Pence and Olette had summer jobs they could not abandon and Kairi was needed at home - something to do with her grandmother being sick.

But even though they all had good reasons, Demyx still felt disappointed and left out. He would not hold it against them though. Besides, if he got the scholarship place, he would not see them for months at a time. Perhaps it was for the best if he began distancing himself but the blond sitarist already knew he could not do it.

Once the car was all packed up, Demyx said goodbye to his mother and father and was about to get into his car when a shout from down the road made him stop.

"HEY, DEMYX!"

Demyx turned and grinned. Coming up the road, led by Kairi and occasionally prodded by Sora and Roxas, were all his friends. Half of them looked like they were sleepwalking, Tidus especially.

"What are you guys doing here?" Demyx asked, surprised.

"Saying goodbye, silly!" Kairi replied. "Just because we can't be there in person, doesn't mean we don't support you!"

And instantly Demyx felt both relieved and guilty over the way he had been feeling towards them.

"But it's so early. You didn't have to-"

"Nonsense," Sora interrupted. "You're our friend, right? Of course we had to come and wish you good luck."

Olette stepped forward, holding a large bright blue envelope. "We made this for you," she said.

Demyx took it and opened it carefully. Inside was a hand-made card with a photo of the entire group in the centre. Around the edge were blue and green musical notes and large, glittery blue letters at the top spelled out "Good Luck, Demyx!"

"You guys..." Demyx murmured, feeling tears come to his eyes. Damn it, he always was too emotional. Hayner would never let him hear the end of it.

"You girl! Don't cry!" the blond boy said, lightly punching Demyx on the arm.

"Yeah," Kairi sniffed. "Or you'll get me going too!"

Demyx put on his best smile. "Well, we can't have that, can we? Besides, I'll only be gone three days. I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone!"

Riku smirked. "Yeah, but you know you're gonna miss us."

The musician smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yeah."

Behind Demyx, the front door opened. "Demyx, if you don't get a move on, you'll miss the ferry," his mother said, coming down the path. She exchanged greetings with Demyx's friends and then all but pushed him into the car.

"All right, I'm off now! Bye, guys!" Demyx said, waving out of the open window as he drove down the driveway and on to the road.

"Bye, Demyx! Good luck!" His friends all waved him off. Demyx watched them in the rear view mirror until he turned the corner and could not see them any more.

_'They came to see me off...' _Demyx honestly had not expected that. He smiled to himself. So what if they couldn't come? They still cared. He couldn't expect them to drop everything for him when they had enough commitments in their own lives anyway. He put the card on the passenger seat where he could see it if he glanced over and turned on the radio.

It was an hour and a half across the island to the small port town that was Kilika. From there, he had to get the ferry to Luca on the main land, which would take roughly another hour. After that, Demyx would spend the rest of the day driving straight to Radiant Garden, where he should arrive sometime after nine to check into the hotel room his mother had booked for him.

One of his favourite songs came on the radio. The blond musician couldn't help singing along.

When Demyx reached Kilika, he found that the ferry had been delayed by half an hour. Something to do with the engines and the tides or something. He heard the announcement over a set of loudspeakers but the voice was so indistinct that he could not make it out properly.

Eventually, after sitting around in his car, he was finally able to drive on board and park. Then he took his mp3 player and went to join the other passengers, watching his home fade into the distance. When they were almost to the other side, the blond switched sides to watch as Luca came closer and closer.

There were even more delays getting off the ferry. By then, Demyx was sick of it. He just wanted to get out on to the road and make it to Radiant Garden. Still, when he was finally off the ferry and driving through the town, Demyx resolved to stop on the way back and visit some of the more interesting shops. He had rarely been to Luca and it was such a nice, bright place.

A couple of hours later, Demyx stopped at a roadside café for lunch. He had left Luca behind now and according to the map, it was pretty much a straight line to Radiant Garden.

He took the good luck card with him into the café. Already he was starting to miss his friends. He read and reread the messages written inside. There was even one from Selphie, so they must have been planning this for at least two weeks, since that's how long the bubbly brunette girl had been gone.

'_Sorry I can't be there to see you off, Demmy! I'll be supporting you all the way from Wutai! Best of luck! - love and hugs from Selphie. PS: You better bring me back a souvenir!'_

_'We believe in you Demyx! - Kairi'_

_'Make us proud, music man! - Hayner'_

"_You were born to be a star, Demmy! I know you can do it! - Sora'_

_'Don't forget us when you're famous, all right? - Roxas'_

They all continued in a similar vein. A warm, happy feeling welled up in Demyx's chest and he put the card away quickly in case his started crying in the middle of the café. That would be embarrassing!

Just as he was getting into his car afterward, his phone began ringing. He flipped it open, not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Demyx! It's Selphie! I thought I'd call and wish you good luck since I couldn't be there in person. How are you? Where are you? Did you get the card? You'd better remember to bring me a souvenir! I'm getting you one after all!"

Demyx laughed. "I'm good. You have excellent timing! I was starting to feel a bit alone. I'm just a couple hours outside Luca at the moment. Olette gave me the card this morning and of course I'll remember to get you something."

"Yay! It kinda sucks that no one could go with you but we're all there in spirit!" Selphie replied.

"I know. Thanks, Selphie." Demyx smiled even though she could not see him. "I gotta go now. I'm behind schedule and I need to make up the time if I want to make it to Radiant Garden before my mother starts worrying and phoning the police or something."

"All right. Bye then! And good luck!"

"Bye, Selph." Demyx hung up, feeling better. That was one of the side effects of talking to Selphie.

Smiling cheerfully, Demyx turned the radio on again and continued driving to Radiant Garden. He was making good time and should only have been a few hours away from Radiant Garden when his engine suddenly spluttered and stopped in the middle of the road.

Demyx let loose a string of words that would have made a nun pass out.

There was apparently nothing wrong with the car. No warning lights flashed, the tank was more than half full and as far as he could see, there was nothing wrong with the engine. It just would not start. When he brought out his phone to call the breakdown service, he saw that there was no signal. The blond swore again and threw it on to the passenger seat.

Resisting the urge to bang his head off the steering wheel, Demyx checked his map. He should be only a few miles from Hollow Bastion, which was on the outskirts of the main city of Radiant Garden. He could probably walk it and have a tow truck sent back for his car. He would not get to his hotel until it was very late but he could make it. With plan in mind, Demyx stepped out of the car. He took his map with him, in case he got lost and as an after-thought, took his sitar from the back seat in case he could not get it before his audition.

Then, after a quick glance in either direction to see if there was any incoming traffic or other signs of civilisation, Demyx set off up the road.

Half an hour later, Demyx was starting to feel like something was wrong. Perhaps he was not as close to Hollow Bastion as he had hoped. And it was apart of a major city. Shouldn't there have been some traffic by now? The land around was pretty much empty. A few plants, a bird flying high in the distance and... Demyx squinted into the distance. Was that the silhouette of a town he saw in the distance? It certain looked like it.

Feeling his mood increase a hundredfold, Demyx picked up his pace and headed onwards.

It took more than an hour to reach the town. Demyx was so relieved at finally having arrived that he almost missed the broken, faded old sign by the road.

"Welcome to

Traverse Town"

Populat-

The bottom corner where the population would have been was missing, apparently torn off somehow. Demyx wondered what could do that to a _metal_ sign before his brain back-tracked.

'_Wait...__Traverse__Town__?! Where the hell am I?!'_ Frantically, he pulled his map out and searched for it. There was no way he could have taken a wrong turning. The road practically had no turnings. He'd followed all the signs. He'd been especially careful, not wanting to risk anything that could harm his chances of getting into Radiant Garden University..

He could not find it. Traverse Town just did not seem to be on the map at all.

He hadn't stumbled into some government conspiracy, had he? And that was a reason not to watch so many movies. It was screwing with his mind. The map was probably old and the town new or something. Except that part of him knew that couldn't be the case. The sign looked far older than the map, for one thing.

But Demyx could not turn back now. Not when he had found somewhere to get help. Pocketing the map, Demyx continued into the strange town in search of the help he needed.

Traverse Town had to be the oddest place he had ever been in. The streets were deserted. '_Maybe this is a ghost town and that's why it doesn't show on the map...'_ But the sitarist had to admit, this place was in pretty good shape for a ghost town. The gardens were, for the most part, neat and well-looked after when he walked past the houses. The shops, though closed, did not seem to be abandoned. There were plenty of goods inside darkened windows.

Then, finally, Demyx found a ray of hope. He turned a corner and saw a bar across the road. The glowing sign above the entrance read "Seventh Heaven". Lights were also on inside and as Demyx hurried across the road, he heard faint music coming from inside.

The blond sitarist pushed the door open and ventured inside. It was quite cosy actually. Booths lined the walls and there were tables and chairs scattered around the floor but with a clear path to the bar from the door. The music turned out to be coming from an old jukebox in the corner next to a pinball machine and a pool table. There were a few other people who turned to look at Demyx as he strolled in but most turned back to their conversations. Demyx got the feeling that for some reason, their conversations had turned to him though.

Behind the bar was a brunette woman with kind brown eyes and a smile to match.

"Hey there. I haven't seen you around before," she greeted when Demyx approached the bar.

"Yeah...um, listen. My car broke down a few miles back down the road and I think I'm lost," Demyx explained. "I was hoping I could find someone to help me."

The woman's smile had the slightest hint of sadness in it. "That happens a lot more than you'd think around here," she replied. "Where were you headed?"

"Radiant Garden," Demyx replied. "I'm supposed to try out for a place in the university's music course tomorrow afternoon. Do you think there's any chance I'll make it?" he asked hopefully.

The barmaid hesitated. "Well...um..."

"No," another voice interrupted. "There's no chance you'll make it now."

"Zexion..." The barmaid sounded disapproving. "There's no need to be like that."

Demyx turned to look at the new speaker, sitting just a few seats away at the bar. He had slate blue hair hanging down over one eye, pale skin and a slender build. His one visible eye was dark blue and he seemed to be glaring at the barmaid.

"No need to be truthful, Tifa? There's no point covering it up!" he snapped.

"Uh...covering what up?" Demyx asked awkwardly. He was aware that everyone else in the bar was now focussing on them.

Zexion turned his gaze to Demyx. "You're never going to get to Radiant Garden. Ever. No one can leave this place."

Demyx felt a wave of panic rise in his chest. He stared at the other man in shock and disbelief. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Zexion gave him a look that made him feel lower than dirt. "Are you deaf or just stupid? I said – quite clearly – that you can never leave this place. You can try, but you'll fail. We've all tried and we've all failed." He gestured around at the bar's other occupants. Some nodded to show he was right.

"Zexion!" This time there was no mistaking the reprimand in Tifa's voice. "He's just got here. Don't be so harsh on him. You didn't want to believe it either, did you? Nobody does! But that doesn't mean you can take your frustration out on this poor boy!"

Zexion looked as though he would like to reply with something probably quite rude and angry but bit back his retort. He took a deep breath and then turned to Demyx. "She's right. I shouldn't be so harsh. But I don't believe in dancing around the subject. Whatever plans you had for your life, forget them because now you're here to stay."

Demyx's brain tried to work around the idea. "I...I don't understand..." he said quietly.

Tife put a gentle hand on his shoulder, an act of comfort the blond was grateful for. "None of us really do, sweetie. I'm so sorry."

"But...my Mom...my Dad...am I never going to see them again?" Demyx felt his eyes filling up and he fought desperately not to cry.

"'Fraid not, kiddo." Demyx looked behind to see a scarred man with an eye-patch looking at him sympathetically. "You're better off forgetting your old life. It hurts less that way."

Demyx bowed his head, furiously blinking back tears. He brought a hand up to his face and watched it tremble uncontrollably. He could feel everyone watching him with a mix of sympathy and concern.

"Here, sit down," Tifa said gently. "Have a drink. It might calm you down. What will you have?"

Demyx nodded and slid on to a bar stool. "J-just water, please," he said quietly, hating the way he stumbled over the words. He kept his head down and soon Tifa slid a glass of water under his nose.

She hovered nearby as he drank. "We need to find out a place to stay tonight," she said at last. "I'll not have you out on the streets on your first night in town."

"He can come with me," Zexion said unexpectedly. "I have plenty of room, after all."

No one in the bar argued. Tifa seemed a little surprised and Demyx even more so – he had been getting the feeling that Zexion did not like him much for some reason.

"Yes, okay," Tifa agreed. "Just...be nice, Zexion. I know you're capable of it."

Zexion nodded and finished the last of his own drink. "When you're ready, we'll leave," he told Demyx.

Demyx nodded, feeling a little calmer. At least he wasn't about to burst into tears anymore but he knew there would be tears shed later for the life he had left behind so unexpectedly. "Thank you. I'm Demyx, by the way."

"Zexion," replied the other. "And this is Tifa and the man with the eye patch is Xigbar."

Demyx gave each in turn a small smile. Then he finished his drink and pushed the empty glass back towards Tifa.

"It was nice meeting you, Demyx. Don't be a stranger, okay?" Tifa said.

"I won't," Demyx promised. "It was nice meeting you too."

Zexion slid off his bar stool. "Come on then," he said quietly to Demyx.

Demyx nodded and began following, adjusting the weight of the sitar case on his shoulder. "Lead on."

* * *

A/N: Yes, Sabby is starting another story. Will she finish it? Who knows? At least, I know what's going to happen. Mostly. The bar scene wasn't planned but I like the way it turned out. Zexion was fun to write. As is Demyx. And Tifa. We'll likely see more of her. Xigbar I hven't made up my mind about yet. Also, I have no idea if there are sitar cases. I should have done some research but it's almost 3am and I'd like to go to bed now. I'll find out later, okay? And then ignore it. Besides, I can't imagine Demyx would want any harm to come to his sitar.

Anyway, leave a review. I am a feedback whore. XD


	2. No Accident

A/N: So, apparently being unable to write RP tags ICly does not mean I can't work on fanfiction. That and it's been an alright afternoon for me, as far as being ill goes. Many apologies for the wait. I appear to have been distracted quite thoroughly for a while.

There is an explanation provided in this chapter as to why Demyx is in Traverse Town. It has meant altering a few details from canon!Demyx and the rest of Organisation XIII but as this is AU, I expect I can get away with it. If anyone has any problems, just let me know. Questions you may have may be answered further in the story though and I do not wish to give out spoilers.

A random note – My dictionary tries to replace 'Zexion' with 'Lexicon'. XD

Thanks to everyone who put this on to author alert and a special thanks to The White Raven013 and Shadow of Phantasia for taking the time to leave a review. ...I should totally get around to sending personal messages. And to everyone who put this on alerts and favourite lists.

Disclaimer – The characters? Not mine. The place? ...technically not mine but I've taken liberties with the layout of it. No walls, no sectors and more sunshine. Does anyone mind? More to the point, is anyone going to sue me over it?

Warnings – eventual shounen ai. Can't think of anything relevant to this chapter.

**Somewhere I Belong**

**Chapter 2**

**No Accident?**

Demyx stayed close to Zexion as he followed him through the darkening streets. Just how late was it, anyway? Had anyone realised he was missing yet? Probably not. If he failed to phone his mother tonight, she would phone the hotel in the morning and that would be the earliest anyone would know something was wrong. And then what would happen? He liked the idea of his parents starting a huge police search for him...but couldn't stand the thought of their hope dying when they found no trace of him. Of course, it was far more likely that there would maybe be a newspaper article and a segment on the news but that would be the extent of it. People went missing every year and few of those were ever made into a huge deal. Is that what would happen to him? Would he fade into obscurity, forgotten by everyone except for his parents? Because they wouldn't forget him, would they?

"Are you all right?"

Demyx looked up to see Zexion giving him a concerned look. "I'm all right. It's just...sinking in. No one will even know I'm missing yet..."

"Try to see the bright side. How many people go missing every year who turn up dead or get attacked?" the pale young man said. "You have a chance at a new life though you didn't want it and this town isn't bad if you give it a chance."

"I don't want to give it a chance, I want to go home!" Demyx snapped.

Zexion turned away and continued walking down the road. "Give it up. Nobody leaves."

Demyx hurried after him. "And how hard have you tried? There's a way here so there's got to be a way out!"

Zexion shook his head. "I tried for years. I interviewed everyone who came, looking for clues. I interviewed everyone who already lived here to find out what they knew. There is no way out." He turned a corner abruptly and almost left Demyx behind.

"So you just gave up?"

"Yeah, I just gave up. What else can I do?" Zexion snapped. "All I can do now is sit and read. That's my life here." His tone took on a bitter edge and he kicked a stone viciously in front of him.

Demyx regarded him silently for a brief moment. "And here I thought you were trying to be nice by offering me a place to stay tonight. I guess you just want to show me how pointless it is to have hope here. Well, I'm not going to give up. I promise you, Zexion, that I'll find a way out. I don't care if I have to wait a hundred years, I'll do it. I'll get out of Traverse Town. Just you wait and see!"

Zexion chuckled bitterly. "That's what they all say," he muttered. A little louder, he added, "We're here," and opened a gate set into a tall hedge.

Demyx gasped. The house was huge, bigger than anything on Destiny Islands. It was built out of white stone and rose three storeys. The front doors were huge, framed by ornate marble pillars at the top of a wide flight of steps. "Wow...you live in this mansion all by yourself?"

Zexion smiled, the bitterness still evident n his face. He was silent for a few seconds, looking up at his home. "Yes, I live alone."

He led Demyx up the stairs and unlocked the oversized doors. Despite their size, they opened easily when Zexion pushed. The interior was like nothing Demyx had ever seen before. The large foyer was lined from floor to ceiling, wall to wall with bookshelves. A curving staircase led to the next floor and that was also lined with books. At the far end of the foyer was a set of wood panelled doors and it was towards those that Zexion led Demyx. The corridor beyond was book-free but every room the musician peeked into was crowded with them.

"I've heard of people liking books but aren't you taking it a bit too far?" he remarked. "You might as well live in a library."

Zexion chuckled but there seemed to be a lack of humour in it. "It's the town," he replied. "It's...almost alive, I think. It creates what it thinks is the perfect living space for the population but it always seems a little...off. I enjoy reading so I was granted a house full of every book I have ever read, ever wanted to read and ever could want to read." He shrugged. "No one ever has it absolutely perfect. Usually, the results are far too over the top and extravagant but sometimes the town gets it almost right."

"Well, there's no such thing as perfect anyway, is there?" asked Demyx. "I wonder what it created for me…"

"We'll look tomorrow." They reached a wood panelled door about half way down the corridor. "Here we are..."

He unlocked it and ushered Demyx into what turned out to be a cosy living room. The walls were painted crimson red and were hung with a few landscape paintings of places Demyx had never seen. Set into the wall opposite the door was a fireplace surrounded by a black marble mantle piece and hearth. Directly in front of the fireplace was a dark wood coffee table and a three-piece suite in a darker shade of red than the walls. There was a vase with some wilting purple and white flowers on the coffee table. Most notably, there were no bookshelves and no books.

"Nice place, though I didn't figure you for a flowers kind of guy," Demyx commented.

Zexion stepped around him, taking his coat off. "I'm not really but Aerith brings some whenever she borrows a book from me and it would be rude to throw them away."

"Who's Aerith?" Demyx asked, following his host's example and taking his jacket off. He set his sitar down against the back of the red sofa and draped his jacket over it.

"She runs the flower shop in the town with a man named Marluxia. We'll probably meet them tomorrow. Aerith likes to meet all the newcomers and word will get around quickly," Zexion replied. "She's a kind woman. You'll like her."

Demyx smiled. "Everyone here seems nice," he noted. "Well, everyone I've met."

Zexion looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Even me? I wasn't exactly kind to you at Seventh Heaven if you remember."

"Yeah, but you just offered me a place to stay for the night and evened all that out," Demyx replied simply. "Besides, Tifa said you're capable of it."

The slate-haired man snorted and turned away. "Everyone is capable of kindness but that doesn't mean everyone will act on that kindness." He paused and looked at the clock on the mantle piece. "Are you hungry?"

Demyx paused to think. It had been a while since he thought of food. Trying to absorb all this information had pushed it from his head. "Um, yeah."

"Thought you might be." Zexion disappeared through a door to the left.

Demyx paused, wondering if he should follow or not. In the end he decided that since he still had a lot of questions, he would follow Zexion and found himself standing the doorway of a large, well-equipped kitchen. Zexion was currently poking through a large fridge.

"Any thoughts on what you'd like to eat?" he asked, not looking around.

"Uh...I'm not fussy," Demyx replied. "So...uh...Zexion..."

"Yes?" This time Zexion did look around the fridge door. Whatever he was doing, Demyx could not see.

"I'm...really confused about this whole thing," Demyx started. "I mean, how is it possible to have a town that no one can leave? Do you get hunted down or something if you do? And what did you mean about - "

"One question at a time," Zexion interrupted. "It will be easier that way. You cannot leave the town because the town itself will not let you. No matter how far you travel in any direction, you'll find yourself coming back here. You can try it yourself if you don't believe me."

"But...something like that shouldn't be possible!" Demyx gasped.

Zexion gave a humourless laugh. "Nothing about this town should be possible but it is."

Demyx pulled out a chair and slumped down at the kitchen table. "There's got to be some way out..."

"That's what I thought at first. But I tried for years, Demyx, and it never worked." The bitter tone to Zexion's voice was back. He slammed the fridge shut and set about preparing a meal with sharp, quick movements.

"Zexion..?" Demyx began hesitantly. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. This town just infuriates me," Zexion replies. "It takes everything from you, whether you like it or not, and replaces it with a mockery of perfection!"

"But...why?" Demyx wondered. "Why take people? And why bring them here? And...how? I still don't know how I got here..."

Zexion shrugged. "You were on a journey. Everyone here was once travelling somewhere alone when they found themselves here. Their cars break down or they get lost and then they end up walking here. This is a town full of lost people."

Demyx frowned. "But...why me? Why you? Why anybody?"

Zexion turned around. "Because you've got something that sets you apart from everyone else in this world."

Demyx paled, eyes widening in shock. '_But how can he know? How can anyone know? I've been so careful!_'

"There's no use trying to hide it," Zexion continued. "I know, because I'm different. Tifa's different. Everyone in this town is different. That's the only good thing I've found here. You no longer have to hide the part that makes you so unique."

"But..." Demyx began. He was so confused.

Zexion seemed to understand though. "You've been hiding for a long time, haven't you? It's all right. Everyone was, before they came here. Even me. I know what it's like to have to hide such a big secret." He saw the look on Demyx's face as though the blond was about to deny it. "Don't bother lying to me. You wouldn't be here if you were an ordinary boy."

All protests died on Demyx's tongue, unvoiced. "So...it's no accident that I ended up here?"

The slate-haired man shook his head. "Not by a long shot." He turned back to his cooking. "If it's all right, I'd like to see what you can do after we've eaten."

The blond sighed. "Yeah, but I want to see what you can do too."

"Deal," Zexion replied. He finished chopping things up and cooking – Demyx was not really paying too much attention, his thoughts focussed on his new situation.

'_I'm stuck here. For now. I have to find a way out. There's no way I'm giving up my life, my dreams so easily,_' the blonde decided. '_But...if Zexion's right and everyone here is different...maybe I can finally...fit in?_' Demyx barely wanted to hope. For most of his life, he'd hidden what he considered to be one of the most important parts of himself, terrified of what would happen if his secret got out. He could lose his friends, his family...just like he had now, he reminded himself. Was it worth it for a chance not to hide any more? His thoughts turned back to the card his friends had made and the talk with Selphie earlier. He remembered his parents and how proud they had been when he had told them of his audition and how much they loved him. Of course it wasn't. He had been hiding, yes, but he had been happy. Demyx felt his resolve harden in his heart. Nothing would stop him from returning home. Nothing at all.

He blinked suddenly as Zexion set a plate down in front of him. Had he really been thinking for that long? He must have been. He half-smiled to himself, thinking of how his friends reacted every time he spent 'too long' thinking. '_Don't strain yourself, Dem! Wouldn't want your brain to overheat!'_ True, he was not known for his ability to think but sometimes he could get lost in his own head. Despite appearances, Demyx was far from stupid.

Demyx waited until Zexion was seated opposite him before picking up his fork. It was some kind of pasta dish he had never tried before and he found he really enjoyed it. "Mmm...This is really good," he commented.

"Thank you," came Zexion's quiet reply.

They ate in silence for a few moments until Demyx could not take it any more. He had never liked silence. It always seemed oppressive to him and he had to fill it with something, be it talking or music.

"So...um...What's so different about you? You seem normal enough..." the blond began.

Zexion looked up at him. "Appearances are deceptive. My first impression of you was of a typical air-headed blond."

Demyx pouted. "I come off as an air-head?"

Zexion fixed him with a careful look.

Demyx seemed not to notice, head turned away as he pondered this. "I guess I do, huh..? But you barely know me so how do you know what I'm like?"

The other man shrugged. "I don't, but you said you were on your way to Radiant Garden University. They wouldn't let you try out for a place if you did not have some kind of intelligence."

Demyx flushed happily. "Most people assume I got into the auditions on a fluke. I'm not especially talented on my sitar but I'm still damned good. I've been playing it for almost as long as I can remember." He paused, glancing back towards the living room where his sitar still rested against the sofa. "I guess it's lucky I decided to bring it with me instead of leaving it in the car. I don't know what I'd do without it, especially since I don't know how long I'm going to be here…"

Zexion gave him an irritated glare. "How many times do I have to tell you there is no getting out of here? You. Are. Stuck. Just like me, just like Tifa and Xigbar and Aerith and everyone else in this wretched town!"

Demyx flinched. They'd just started to be getting along when he had gone and put his foot in it with that careless remark. But he was not about to apologise, not while he had every intention of finding his way home again. The sitarist followed Zexion's example and finished his meal in silence, leaving his plate and cutlery in the sink when Zexion did.

"I'll wash up later," the slate-haired man said, walking back towards the living room. "I want to see what you can do."

Demyx was naturally apprehensive about revealing his secret to someone else for the first time in his life. He followed Zexion into the living room and sat down on the sofa, fidgeting.

"Uh…you first?" he requested somewhat meekly.

Zexion seemed to have been expecting this because he did not bother to sit down. Instead, he stood in front of the fireplace. "Very well, then."

He raised his arm out in front of him. Demyx leaned forwards, curious. His eyes widened in amazement when he realised Zexion's shadow was wavering, blurring and then…it stood up. It looked indistinct for a moment and then shifted until there were two Zexions standing before him. The shadow Zexion smiled then blurred again and suddenly…was Demyx.

"Whoa…" Demyx sat back, thoroughly impressed.

"My power is that of illusion," Zexion's voice said, right beside his ear. Demyx jumped but there was no one there. Nor was Zexion beside the fire anymore. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen at all. He heard a low chuckle and then the slate haired man reappeared, sitting at the other end of the sofa. "I can make copies of others and shield myself from view for a short time. Invisibility is more tiring that duplicates though and I do not use it often."

"Man, I know friends who would totally abuse that power," replied Demyx, still completely impressed. "We'd never get them out of the girl's locker room."

Zexion smiled faintly. "I have never felt the urge to do that, actually. In any case, it is your turn. What is your power?"

Feeling more confident, Demyx took his place in front of the fire. He had a moment of hesitation under Zexion's scrutiny before scolding himself.

'_What happened to the natural performer? This is no different!_' he told himself firmly. Just because he was not playing music and about to reveal his most secret of talents did not make this any less of a performance. Closing his eyes, Demyx concentrated.

Through force of will, he reached out to moisture in the atmosphere, the water in the vase of flowers and formed and perfect sphere of water in the air in front of him. He opened his eyes to check his work and smiled. That part was easy. The next part was trickier but he had often practised in secret, alone in his room or anywhere else he was certain he was not being watched. The water began to take on a different shape. He made simple shapes at first - an oval, a square, a star, a musical note – and gradually getting more complicated. Demyx could make water do anything he wanted – as long as he could keep his concentration.

"So you can control water," Zexion remarked quietly. "Interesting."

Demyx almost lost control. Zexion had been so quiet up until that point and the musician had become so absorbed in his ability that he had almost forgotten the other man was there.

"Yeah. It might not be as cool as becoming invisible but I can't say it isn't awesome in its own right," the blond said with a grin. Then he yawned and finally lost control of the flower shape he had moulded the water into. It fell and splashed all over the carpet before Demyx could regain control. "Oh my God, I'm sorry!" he babbled. "I really, really didn't mean to do that! I'll clean it up; just give me a second…"

"No, no. It is alright. I have been an inconsiderate host, after all. You have had a long day so it is natural you are tired," Zexion interrupted smoothly. "I will show you to a bedroom and then take care of the water myself. It is only water, after all."

Demyx smiled gratefully, though it was obvious he still felt guilty about it. "If you're sure you don't want me to do it…"

"Follow me." Zexion was already leaving the room.

Demyx hurriedly picked up his jacket and sitar and followed him, not wanting to risk getting lost. Zexion took him back to the staircase in the foyer and up to the next floor. The landing at the top was also lined with books, with two corridors leading off to the left and to the right. Zexion led Demyx to the left hand side, past several doors until they were almost to the end. Zexion stopped and opened the door into a spacious room decorated in shades of white and cream.

"You may rest here for the night. The bathroom is across the hall if you need it."

Demyx grinned but could not hide how tired he was. At the prospect of finally being able to fall asleep, that was all it seemed his body wanted to do. "Thanks, Zex. I guess you're not so bad after all."

"Goodnight, Demyx." Zexion returned Demyx's smile faintly and turned to walk back down the corridor.

Demyx entered the room and dropped his jacket and sitar on the bed. He quickly realised he would have to sleep in his underwear, having nothing else to wear and since Zexion was smaller than him, he doubted the man would have anything that would fit. Oh well. It was no matter, really. Destiny Islands had often been to warm for pyjamas in the summer time anyway. Once undressed and put his clothes and sitar to one side, the blond slid beneath the covers.

'_I wonder what everyone's up to now…_' he thought.

***

Mopping up the water did not take long. Once that was finished, Zexion turned his attention to the neglected washing up. Normally, it was something he would have done straight away but he had wanted to ease the tension after he had snapped at Demyx.

'_He is new and still needs time to adjust,_' the illusionist told himself as he dried the dishes. '_I can hardly blame him for wanting to leave either. How long did I try to escape this place, despite what everyone told me?_'

Chores finished, Zexion decided it was time he went to bed. Treading softly in case he woke Demyx, the slate-haired man climbed the stairs and took the left hand corridor. As he passed Demyx's room, he realised he had no need to fear waking him – not if the muffled sobs were any indication. Zexion paused outside the door for a moment before continuing on to the end of the corridor.

Although it looked like a dead end, Zexion had quickly discovered the secret. After all, if the mansion has been filled with all the books he could ever dream of, then why should it have left out a not so secret fantasy he had had as a child? Ever since he was a young boy, Zexion had wanted a place to hide away with his books. The town had provided that in the form of a bedroom hidden behind a bookcase. Pulling out a certain volume cause the bookcase to swing open and provide access to a room decorated in deep blues and silver. With a final glance back towards Demyx's room, the illusionist let the bookcase swing shut behind him.

* * *

A/N: Don't for get to leave a review~


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